Brave Like You Brave Like Me was established and registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in September 2023 by founder, Christina Lakey. Brave’s mission is simple: to connect local pediatric cancer families to community support and other resources, especially families who are newly diagnosed. Read their story below:

In October 2022, Hazel (middle sister - in the plaid) who had been dealing with leg pain for months without any answers, was rushed to the ER after experiencing chest pain and diagnosed with leukemia (B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia to be exact). She got a port placed the next day and immediately started a 2.5 year treatment plan of chemotherapy. She finished treatment February 14, 2025!

To say the diagnosis was jolting is an understatement. Everything changed. We had great family and friends that helped along the way, but it was hard to make the adjustments of our everyday life when so much of it revolved around frequent hospitalizations, clinic visits, and having to avoid visitors, crowds, and other activities to keep Hazel safe because of her immunocompromised state.

Over time, we started to get connected to awesome foundations in Utah and other locations that offer various types of support for pediatric cancer families. However, we often felt we had to slowly “find out” about them through word of mouth, lots of research, and sometimes, by pure luck. We had a longing, especially for the kids, to connect with other children who found themselves in similar situations as the pediatric cancer patient or the sibling(s). Sometimes the events weren’t always safe for us to attend due to Hazel’s immunocompromised state. And other anticipated events just felt so far away at a time where we desperately needed immediate connection to help us navigate the new “normal” that treatment brings.

Christina felt very fortunate to connect with a group of local pediatric cancer mamas early on to provide support and information. She asked them if they felt a need for their kids (especially siblings) to have more opportunities to connect with other children in similar situations. It was a resounding yes! We expressed that we wanted to fill in some of the gaps so we could keep families more supported and connected through small and consistent opportunities to get together. 

So, that's exactly what the foundation is doing!

Christina, with the help of some other amazing mamas with cancer fighting kiddos, started the first caregiver meetup group in Davis County in January 2024. A second meetup started in Draper in January 2025. A meetup is set to start in Utah County in Summer 2025. These meetups are simple and fairly informal and provide children a chance to just “hang out” and have fun, while parents get to meet, share experiences, and give each other support through their journeys.

We also offer periodic wellness events featuring yoga, sound bath, and breathwork.

We provide practical and meaningful support items to our participating families and to the oncology department at Primary Children’s Hospital. We are currently working on an amazing new project that we hope to launch Fall 2025 to help each member of the family document their journey in a meaningful and impactful way.